Some needs still to be met

verall, the community has come through for many of those who are finding themselves in need this year.

Food was the biggest gift, which filled the pantry at the shelter for Advocates to End Domestic Violence. More than 30,000 pounds was collected from the annual Share Your Christmas Food Drive.

However, gifts for teens are needed as are for some area senior citizens, particularly those at the Evergreen Mountain View Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carson City.

"It's been really slow (in regards to the adoptions)," said Molly Cady, players club manager. "We still have about 60 to go, and I'm a little panicky at this point."

Cady is pleading with the community to adopt a resident. Each tag has the first name and requested gift of a resident at the center. The angel tree is in front of the Caravan Cafe.

A recent toy drive by the Nevada Capitol Police, Peace Officers Association, Legislative Police and employees benefited the Toys for Tots campaign, enough to purchase 65 bicycles for needy children.

"We are still in need of gifts for boys and girls ages 11-17," said Joyce Buckingham, director of Ron Wood Family Resource Center. "Electronics, fashion stuff for hair, makeup. But we have plenty of board games, stuffed animals, and we even have clothes. We really need gifts for the pre-teen to age 17."

The Carson City Firefighters Association recently went on a shopping spree purchasing $6,000 worth of toys for the Salvation Army's Toys for Joy program.

"This generosity is beyond what we've seen so far this year," Capt. Erica Helton of the Salvation Army. "But we're down on bicycles. Last year we had enough bikes to give one to every kid who asked. Right now we only have 10."

Helton said that while sorting through toys she noticed they are also low on gifts for the 10- to 13-year-old age group.

"Electronics, cheap MP3 players, things like that are good gifts for them. Or gift cards, that's even better."

Helton said as far as food, they are blessed due to a recent food drive by Southwest Gas.

"But I'm concerned about our older kids (getting gifts)," she said.

"We are a little bit short on turkeys for our holiday food baskets," said Jeff Fast, Friends in Service Helping director. "I would rather a have another dozen than be one short."

Fast said the pantry is holding on, but they were a bit down in October as far as supplies and can always use non-perishable food donations. Food collection barrels are in City Cafe Bakery, all Wells Fargo branches, Local's Barbecue, Joni's Creekside Deli, MedDirect, and other locations.

"We're going to need help throughout December and into 2009," Fast added.

The annual Share Your Christmas Food Drive brought in a bounty of food for Advocates to End Domestic Violence. Collecting more than 30,000 pounds of food, Advocates director Lisa Lee said it's the most they've received in the past few years.

"It was better than we anticipated," Lee said. "We're abundant in food, but are still looking for diapers for the 18-24-month-old kids, and detergent for washing clothes."

- Contact Rhonda Costa at rcosta@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.